More entries for BASA Awards

Sixty-three projects were entered into the prestigious awards event across 11 categories, with many projects entered into several different categories. An additional five entries were received for the Mentor of the Year Award, which pays tribute to those individuals who contribute their time and expertise to others working in arts projects and organisations.

In total, there are 105 contenders for nominees and winners in this 12th annual Business Day BASA Awards, supported by Anglo American - an increase on last year's event, specifically related to first-time entries, that underscores the different array of relationships between business and the arts.

Diverse support of the arts

“We are thrilled at the number of entries we have received across all categories and look forward to rewarding those businesses and arts projects that have really stood out during the past year. The large number of first-time entries is also exciting as it indicates the diverse support of the arts through business,” said Michelle Constant, CEO of Business and Arts South Africa (BASA).

Business Day editor Peter Bruce is also upbeat about the diversity and depth of entrants for the 12th Annual Business Day BASA Awards. “Looking at the entrants makes it clear just how many of our core constituents are working with South Africa's arts community. It's been said before, but a country can only fully develop if its arts are allowed to thrive and this is what we are seeing so impressively in the entrants.”

For Anglo American - which has supported the awards since 2004 - involvement in the Business Day BASA Awards is part of a vision that sees arts as an indispensable part of South Africa's progress towards being a nation that embraces diversity across all platforms.

“As the Partner of Choice, we believe that there is immense value in celebrating collaboration between business and the arts,” said Kuseni Dlamini, head of Anglo American SA. “These awards are a platform which brings artistic endeavours, imagination, innovation and ingenuity to a creative fore.”

The 2009 judges' panel

The 2009 judges' panel features CEO of the Constitution Hill Trust, Dr Ivan May; Loerie Awards MD, Andrew Human; playwright and director Welcome Msomi; co-founder and head of Vega School of Advertising, Gordon Cook; theatre and dance writer/journalist Adrienne Sichel; business entrepreneur, South Africa's former High Commissioner to London and currently executive chairperson of Peotona Holdings (an investment company that deals with business development), Cheryl Carolus; and, Mastrantonio Holdings CEO Giovanni Mariano.

The seven judges have been sifting through the high-quality entries to determine this
year's nominees and winners. The full list of nominees is expected to be released early in August, before the event, which takes place at Johannesburg's newly renovated Turbine Hall (in support of the Newtown Precinct) on 31 August 2009.

Entries have been received across these 12 categories:

• Best Use of a Commission of New Art - for a sponsor with the vision to support the creation of new, original work in any arts medium - performing, visual, literary etc, and to use the commission
  effectively;
  
• First-time Sponsor - for a business supporting the arts for the first time, regardless of the size of the company or budget;
  
• Increasing Access to the Arts - for a company which has helped to bring the arts to people who may be, for example, disabled or living in urban or rural areas without regular arts activities;
  
• International Sponsorship - for a company bringing an international arts project to South Africa or supporting South African arts overseas;
  
• Long-term Development - for a company which has significantly developed or expanded commitment to a project or programme during a period of three years or more;
  
• Media Sponsorship - for consistent support given by electronic or print media to the arts;
  
• Single Project - for an outstanding sponsorship or a series of projects with one arts organisation;
  
• Sponsorship by a Small Business - for vital support given to the arts by small companies with 1200 full-time employees and an annual turnover of no more than R10 million;
  
• Sponsorship in Kind - for a company giving non-financial support to the arts;
  
• Strategic Sponsorship - for best use of a sponsorship programme (of three or more separate projects) as an integral part of the sponsor's overall marketing programme;
  
• Youth Sponsorship - for projects which involve young artists and/or young audiences; an education element should be implicit in the sponsorship; and
  
• The Barloworld Artworks Mentor of the Year Award.

The 12th annual Business Day BASA Awards, supported by Anglo American, also feature The Chairman's Premier Award, which is made at the discretion of the chairman of BASA, and recognises sustained and extraordinary commitment to the arts in South Africa.

Winners in all categories are rewarded with a specially commissioned original artwork.

For more information go to www.basa.co.za.